The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1887-10-19
TALMAGE's SERMON.
The Brooklyn Preacher Occupies
"Unoccupied Fields"
A, F;Ioouept discourse Upon skepticism,
che Reasons for ITS Existence and
the salvation OF Unbeiieyers-
The church's Mission

The Ghurohs hieSA"H+
Rev. t, Dewitt Talmage took for the
xnbtect Of n recent discourse In the Brook
Ivn Tabernacle "Unoccupied Fields"
prsdicating his remarks on the following
texts
n Talusge said: Stirring reports
coms from ali parts of America showing
what a GREAT work the churches OF God
arc doing. and / congratulate them and
4hair pastors. Misrepresentation have
bosn going the rounds saying that the
o,tside benevolences of this particular
church are neglected, when the fact is
fhat large Sums Of money are being
raiqed IN various ways by this church for
eli STYLES of good objects, not always
through the boards of our own denomina-
tion. This church was built by all denom-
nations of Christians and by many sec
tions OF this land and other lands, ana
this obligation has led us to raise money
for MANY objects not connected with our
denomination, and this accounts Tor the
fact that we have not regularly contrib
uted TO all the boards commended But
I rejoice in that you have done as
church a magnificent work, and am
,y7-atafrI that we have received during the
wear. sby confession iof faith in Christ,
seven hundred twenty-five souls, which
fact I mention not in boasting, but in de-
fansa of this church, showing it has
been neither idlenor inefficient. The most
of our aecsssions have been from the out
side world. so that, taking the idea of nay
text. we have not been building on other
peoples foundations.
In laying out the plan Of his missionary
tonr. Paul sought out towns and cities
which had not yet been preached to. lie
goes TO Corinth, n city mentioned for
splendor and vice, and Jerusalem, where
the priestl God and the Sanhedrirn were
ready TO leap with both feet upon the
Christian religion. He feels he has espe-
cial work 60 do, and he means to do IL.
What was the result? The grandest life
of usefulness that a man ever lived. We
modern Christian workers are not apt to
initiate Paul We Build on other peoples
foundations II we erect n church we
prefer to have it filed with families, ell OF
whom have been pious. Do We gather
Sabbath-school class. we want good boys
and girls, hair combed, faces wash
ed, manners attractive. So
church in this day is apt to
be built out Of other churches. Some min
listers spend all their time in fishing in
other peoples ponds, and they throw the
line into that church pond and jerk out
Methodist, and throw the line into another
church pond and bring out Presbyterian,
or there is a religious row in some neigh
TIA. hasishnrch, and whole school OF fish
-rSraes,wrJAa highat pond, and wo take
Pr alienation >...-sa9lj ny zlssr<, o. the net.
aaaRsmsIsssllis1d broa'y nothing for
women 1t Is only as
regular giment Is trans
u,o.Y Fa.t to another, from
Is yopmac.
M. 10 army is now re-
n, always desired is
N.r,sous to those COM
we build our church,
SPECS, but out of the
u another mans
81 y this is big
% ,olboy days, we
81 circumference
OF 49, learn half. It
is the lfsitude, ana Oh
ameter eel eumference Of
want, anc. :. inland sin, that
no figures can calculate. This one
spiritual continent of wretchedness
reaches across all zones, and If were
called to give it's geographical boundary,
/ would say it is bounded on the north and
south and east and west by the great heart
Of Gods sympathy and love. Oh, it Is
great world. Since six O'Clock this morn
ing 90, 800 persons have been born, and all
these multiplied populations are to be
reached of the Gospel. In England, or in
our Eastern American cities, we are being
much crowded, and an acre of ground Is
Of great value, but out West five hundred
acres is a small farm, and fifty thousand
acres is no unusual possession. There ia
a vast field here and everywhere unoceu-
pied, plenty of room more, not building
on another mans foundation.
We need as churches to stop bombsrd-
ing the old iron-ciad sinners that have
been proof against thirty years of Christ
ian assault. Alas for that church which
lacks the spirit Of evangelism, spending
on one chandelier enough TO ligkt five
hundred souls to glory, and in one carved
pillar enough to have made thousand
men "pillars in the house Of our ood for
ever" and doing less good than many alog
cabin Westinghouse with tallow candles
stuck in wooden sockets, and minister
who has never seen college, or known
the difference between Greek and Choc-
taw. We need as churches to get into
sympathy with the great outside world,
and let them know that none are SO
broken hearted that they win not be well
coined.
sNorn says some fastidious Christian,
81 dor's like to be crowded in church.
Don't put any one in my pew" My BROTH
or, what will you do in Heaven When a
great multitude that no man can number
assemblies, they viii put Atty in your pew.
What are the select few to-day assembled
In the Christian churches compared with
tho mightier millions outside OF them,
eight hundred thousand in Brooklyn, but
Less than one hundred thousand in the
churches? Many of the churches are like
a hospital that should advertise that its
patients must have nothing worse than
toothache or srun-rounds," but no broken
heads, no crushed ankles, no fractured
ss.ighs- Give us 4ur treatment moderate
sinnsfs>pctEptsA6 sinners, and sinners
with gloss on. IL Is as though a man
had farm of three thousand acres, and
put all his work on one acre. He may
raise never so large ears of corn, never
so large heads of wheat, he would
remain poor. The Church of God has
bestowed its chief care ON one acre, and
has raised splendid men and women in
that small Enclosure, but the field is the
world. That means North and South
America, Europe, Asia and Africa, and
all the islands Of the sea.
II Is as though after great battle there
were left fifty thousand wounded and dy-
ing on the field, and three surgeons gave
all their time TO three patients under their
charge. The Major-General comes in and
says 70 the doctors "Come out here and
look at the nearly fifty Thousand dying
for lack Of surgical attendance"
"No," say the three doctors, standing
there tanning their patients, Eve have
three important cases here, and we are
attending TO them, and when we are not
positively busy with their wounds il takns
all our time TO keep the flies OFF,
In this awful battle Of sin and sorrow,
where millions have fallen on millions do